KTDJ

Hi guys, so I finally bought a TLX A-spec V-6 AWD late December (the 23rd)and I just got around to doing the client survey. Here are some of the comments that I left for them. Do you think they are fair or was I being too harsh?

Mr Hyde

Of course your comments are fair. It's your car, and these are things you think could be done better. Some of the things you are mentioning seem like they will be, or are being addressed.

1. They have developed a new 10 speed transmission which will probably spread throughout the lineup. I don't see DCT's remaining as the first choice for anything other than the sportiest models like the NSX.

2. Auto start is something I've completely gotten used to with the timing. I turn it off in heavy traffic, but otherwise leave it on at all times. Besides slightly relaxing your foot on the brake pedal while still remaining stopped, a slight tug of the steering wheel will fire the engine right up as well.

3. More powerful Type-S versions are on the way for what will most likely be the 2G TLX.

4. For the Pandora issue, you are probably better off inquiring in this dedicated section. https://acurazine.com/forums/5g-tlx-...avigation-416/

Saintor

Your first 3 comments can be addressed if you drive the car in S/M mode. We all know how uncooperative the ZF9 programming is in other modes. Reports on the new 10-speed show similar findings. The auto start-stop is off in S/M and the car is definitely more responsive. On my side, I use the brake-hold and S/M mode daily - I am ok with that.

Saintor

When I wrote S/M I meant Sport Plus or manual, (S+/M), not the regular sport, just as infuriating. You can't put it as default unfortunately.

losiglow

iTrader: (1)

Totally fair. I don't own a TLX but based on what others have said, I think those are an accurate representation of common complaints. Yes, some will be fixed soon but it doesn't hurt to let them know what needs to be improved so they can focus on those same potential mistakes in the future, even if it's with new hardware.

quantum7

Really?.....I did a search for complaints on the new 10 speed and I could find almost nothing. The ZF9 has page after page of complaints. Not sure that I would classify as "similar findings".
I will have to Google again.

kurtatx

S/M mode is such a cop-out. Poor workaround.

FLYGUY31

I think they are reading these forums for sure. When introducing the new RDX, you hear them say something like "we have heard....and now we are doing this..."
They know there are issues and looking to improve them. Issue is that they are behind the curve. Always good to let them know.
Good luck with your car.

jhb31

I think you are pretty much spot on.
-ZF9 is a horrible trans. No programming will program out the issues it has. Probably ok if you are not looking for a performance feel. I agree with another comment that using sport+ is not a solution. I use sport mode and at times if you didn't know better it reacts like economy mode. Some 2015 owners say its much improved but that makes me wonder how awful that trans was.
-Auto Start stop, I don't like it. I don't have many lights in my normal driving that last more than 15 seconds on average and I would rather be have a system setting to turn it off by default. Nothing like stopping for the garage door to open a little more and the car shuts off for 1 or 2 seconds and then restarts. Plus the reported issues of 2 to 3 yr old cars where the car wouldn't start back up at all when your out on the road..
-No problem with the brakes. Actually think they are a little better than my type S brembos. As for power I agree it could use some more but I think the zf9 doesn't do any favors for the HP it has.
-I use android auto and sometimes I have to unplug the phone after restarting as the music will only play for a few seconds then pause. Maybe it's my phone but it is certainly annoying. Also find it hard to get to settings on android auto like setting random play on a playlist (actually still haven't figured that one out).

Overall you hit all the "bad" issues with the car. Styling and handling are IMO very nice. I also have some issues where the parking sensors go off for no reason when stopped and as a result just leave it off. Also fairly regularly the door doesn't unlock automatically and I have to dig the remote out of my pocket and do it (usually when its raining or freezing cold out). Oh, not to pile on but I would get rid of the push button trans and go back to the lever but I guess I can lump that into transmission dislike. For the most part to me the main flaw in the car is the trans, the other issues I can accept.

Saintor

You have no idea, you just ass-ume. I do it daily This is a small price for not having an el cheapo Jetta engine.

pyrodan007

Why are you mentioning engine when problem is with transmission? I'm sure the Jetta drives just fine, not like you bought a Porsche or something ...

Flipster23

iTrader: (15)

Always slandering a car that's not a TLX.

Acts like the TLX is an all mighty machine.

jhb31

Saintor, the real issue is why should you have to drive in S+ mode to get what a 3rd gen TL did with no modes? S+ is not a mode you can use without going into manual mode to avoid having the engine not running at 3k plus rpms when you level off in speed. If you drive in S+ mode all the time then a manual trans is the better option. The trans is a weak spot, and I wish it was not. I also have a 2017 RDX and with no "modes" for the trans it hits the right gears all the time.

Speed_Racer

S+ gets old after a while. It's ok getting up to speed and it's more responsive than the other modes, but when using it around city driving it feels like something is wrong. Approaching stop signs for example and it feels like it's going through 3-4 downshifts within a few seconds and you feel each shift. Even my wife was asking if something was wrong. I wish there wasn't a need to stick it in a certain mode either, but you just learn how to get around it's limitations.

jhb31

Also, in other modes and I am not sure about S+ downshift issues as I avoid it but when in sport mode and use the the paddle shifters to downshift the car initially speeds up with each downshift. Just ridiculous and I don't even bother any longer to use it. This makes me so mad. Then again I only get 20k miles out of tires, not that i care, but I like to enjoy the car to its fullest. I do feel with my driving habits I never thought I was abusing the Type S as it seemed to take the harder driving with no effort and enjoyed it (hence why a decade old type S commands good money), the TLX it doesn't have that feeling.

F23A4

Seems like the RDX presentation from Detroit (as well as the accompanying press release) already addressed most of those items, which we'll see on future models. Unfortunately for some, Acura likely won't retrofit current models with the upcoming goodies.

pyrodan007

I know exactly what you're feeling, there's no form of engine braking with this car. My 15 did the same, I hated it since it made car unpredictable in traffic.

KTDJ

Illuminati

Why would you want to drive around in sport + mode all the time? Makes no sense. It makes the car too aggressive for "around the town" driving. Plus every time you turn the car off you have to put the car back into sport +. Poor way of trying to alleviate the ongoing transmission issue and auto start/stop. Im used to turning the car on then immediately turning Auto start/stop off before pressing "Drive".

Speed_Racer

Funny you mention the paddle downshift behavior, I came from a 2014 MDX and it's paddle downshift behaves better. You downshift with the paddle and it goes down a gear and you feel the engine braking for you. First time I did that in the TLX I about rear ended the car in front. Wasn't expecting the surge forward.

Speed_Racer

I see that music pausing issue on Apple CarPlay. Try this next time it happens to you with Android Auto, when the music pauses, press the play button in the lower LCD screen where the seat heater button is located. It starts the music right back up without having to plug/unplug the phone for CarPlay.

Saintor

I find it quite convenient and quite acceptable, yes aggressive but not too aggressive. I much prefer it especially around town, where responsiveness is king. You can do that or continue to whine Grandpa-Simpsons-style about how regular mode is. OR, like the guy Acura suggested, use paddles more often (double-click to get 2 gears down).

18TLXAspec

I can say that the transmission is mostly ok, but the software that determines shift points and coordinates shifting could probably benefit from improvements.

I'm coming from 13 years with and RSX Type-S and can say slight acceleration when downshifting isn't completely uncommon with a manual transmission, but you would think the ECU should be able to consistently do a better job of preventing that from happening. I can also say, that using the paddle shifters takes a little getting used to, especially downshifting, but there is very little delay in shifting between gears when using them. Once you get the hang of it you can drive it very similar to a manual when in Sport+ mode without it being to aggressive, but your mileage is likely to take a hit...if that's something you care about. If you're not using the paddle shifters when in Sport+ mode you're doing it wrong and you probably should stick to one of the other modes.

My biggest gripe is with changing from reverse to drive and vice versa. I could do the same in way less time with my manual, or even my Odyssey's automatic, without damaging the transmission so why is it such an issue for the TLX. I constantly feel like I have to give it extra time to get into gear and sometimes feel like it's stuck in neutral for a moment when letting off the brake.

BEAR-AvHistory

Sounds like the RPM match is screwed up. Revs should come up some to prevent you pitching forward in you seat but not so much as to increase your road speed.

jhb31

Also, in other modes and I am not sure about S+ downshift issues as I avoid it but when in sport mode and use the the paddle shifters to downshift the car initially speeds up with each downshift. Just ridiculous and I don't even bother any longer to use it. This makes me so mad. Then again I only get 20k miles out of tires, not that i care, but I like to enjoy the car to its fullest. I do feel with my driving habits I never thought I was abusing the Type S as it seemed to take the harder driving with no effort and enjoyed it (hence why a decade old type S commands good money), the TLX it doesn't have that feeling.

aIRpeACE

iTrader: (2)

you are entitled for your own comments and say whatever you like.

losiglow

iTrader: (1)

^ This.

I'm guessing that auto manufacturers are used to harsh criticism. Pretty much every one of them gets it. Everyone involved in the process from engineers to marketing needs to have thick skin. The raw truth is that 98% of things can be perfect on a car but everyone will whine over the 2%. The average U.S. consumer demands perfection at a good price. As bad as that sounds, it's actually beneficial to business since it creates a lot of competition which drives innovation and improvements.

Acura has lost the plot lately. Scrutiny and complaints (and of course declining sales) are the only way they'll change.

jhb31

Not sure where your comment is directed buy IMO at least 90% of getting the car right is engine/trans/handling and the other 10% is the rest. With Acura I take reliability out of the equation as that's assumed to be there.Really on Acura it's a shame that the trans is so poor. I don't understand how the 9spd in the TLX ever made it into production.

Christopher.

Acura simply needs to allow us to program (custom) one of the modes exactly how WE want it to work - they honestly should really do that, ASAP. It's my car, right? Why can't I have it respond to my gas pedal press the way I want it to, it's as if it's not really my car, and Honda wants it to work they way THEY want it to work, not me.

It's ridiculous that we cannot have a mode with 100% speed throttle response, where the throttle simply reacts AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, the shifts are snappy, and it lets us rev high if we press far on the gas pedal - I don't want it to hold the revs high for me, or do that weird jerky slowing down (and sometimes feeling like it's lurching when I come to a stop) during the "daily use" times when I just hate the car being so damn unresponsive to pressing the throttle.

It's just plain STUPID that I have to do something like buy a "Sprint Booster" to fool myself into thinking the throttle is responding how I want it to. Or, that I feel like I need to add a Turbo/Super charger just to get decent low rev torque to a car that lists at over $40K...

18TLXAspec

So, the root of the problem is EPA mileage requirements. All manufactures are on the hook to meet ever increasing fuel economy numbers across their entire lineup of vehicles. Some vehicles can have lower fuel economy numbers so long as the average across the lineup meets the EPA requirements. So, in order to be able to have vehicles that are less efficient in the lineup other vehicles must meet higher fuel economy numbers. The fewer cars you have the more challenging it can be to meet the regulation. I think this is a major factor in manufacturers excluding manual transmissions from their lineup as new technology has allowed automatic transmissions to move past them with respect to fuel economy. It not only impacts the shifting, but also the need to manually turn off auto idle stop as well as the resetting of Sport+ mode to Sport after the car is turned off. Now, if you run pure ethanol/methanol free gas, like they used to sell and some still do, you will probably notice up to a 10% increase in fuel economy, you'll also pay approximately 10% more per gallon at the pump. I tested this years ago with my '05 RSX Type-S and these were my results. I have not performed this test with my TLX, beyond having filled once with ethanol free gas and noticing a slight improvement in fuel economy, but I didn't track what percentage the increase figured out to be.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you want to vent on anyone vent on the EPA and those who lobby for ethanol/methanol to be in our gas. Maybe take some time to read the studies done on the impacts of adding this to gasoline and how it impacts the emissions. Based on my research the volume of emissions doesn't change, just the components. It only slightly lowers the components the EPA cares most about while increasing the levels of unburned ethanol, acetaldehyde and formaldehyde. According to a study (https://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...16236117305598) formaldehyde and acetaldehyde are highly toxic and potentially carcinogenic as well as precursors of ozone and peroxyacetyl nitrates which can impact air quality. Here's an article from Stanford which suggest it has, and will, increase ozone related deaths in the US (https://news.stanford.edu/news/2007/...ol-041807.html)

Christopher.

OK, so how do I fix my TLX to work the way I want it to, without letting Acura/my dealer try to claim my warranty is voided?

I remain skeptical of the Sprint Booster being able to increase the speed at which my throttle responds to the accelerator being pressed - I still need someone to explain to me how it could be capable of causing response different than simply pressing the throttle down further.

I don't even know if the throttle response has much to do with the issue though, as what it feels like, is that there is some strange delay from when the engine revs up, to when the transmission delivers torque to the wheels. I'm not sure how that could be fixed, or what's causing it - perhaps reprogramming the TCU could help, at least a little?

I'm not going to complain to the EPA, as I know that reduced energy consumption is vital to future generations if they are to have any hope of living decent lives on this planet - I've done things like having an "energy audit" done on my home, having insulation added and sealing/insulating foam sprayed all around the foundation of my house to reduce air leaks, installing a 99.5% efficient tankless water heater, converting all the light bulbs in my house except 1 or 2 to LED, changing from a minivan to a sedan, adding a computerized thermostat to reduce our heating/cooling, etc. etc. etc - however, in this one area, I wish to at least sometimes have the ability to be "bad" and have some fun with my car and not simply tolerate how the fun has been "programmed out" of my engine and transmission. This comes partially from not really being happy with how "Sport+" mode works, I really should be able to configure one of the modes the way I want it, and I find it quite unreasonable/unacceptable that I cannot do so.

BEAR-AvHistory

There is no cottage industry around the TLX like some of the other cars because its not considered a performance car & the performance oriented ownership percentage is too small to support their product development.

You are correct on the "sprint booster" save the money & step harder on the throttle.

mpany is going to let you screw with the base settings because of a whole load of reasons not the least of which is the US government fining them billions for violating federal EPA requirements.

losiglow

iTrader: (1)

I'm not explicitly referring to your situation as the 98%/2% rule. Obviously drivetrain problems trump just about everything else when it comes to the quality of a vehicle. Well, maybe short of safety, but ahead of everything else. I'm referring more to all cars. Not just cars but everything else as well. Consumer electronics, restaurants, kitchen appliances, you name it. If you go out to eat and the restaurant is clean and in a good location, you're seated quickly, the server is nice, the food is great, but an error is made on your check that you don't find until you get home then boom - 4/5 stars on Google. We demand perfection. Pure and simple.

18TLXAspec

I definitely can appreciate all of the interests around being energy efficient, but I hope you understand it does run afoul of 'the ability to be "bad" and have some fun'. Anything that's not factory original is going to raise the question of whether it precipitated a problem with the car and potentially void the warranty. They do have procedures to make that determination, but I'm not familiar with them and cannot offer any insight regarding how to evaluate your options and ensure they don't void your warranty.

Maybe someone else that has been down that road before will be able to weigh-in. I simply wanted to provide some insight regarding the reason you have this frustration in the first place.

I know I've read one instance where an individual added a Cold Air Intake (CAI), had significant issues, took it to Acura and they went through the process of determining if the CAI precipitated the issues, found out it did not, and Acura covered the issues under warranty. I also know other folks who simply skirt the potential for the warranty to be voided by removing/hiding anything which may be considered as potentially voiding the warranty prior to taking their vehicle in for service.

TacoBello

KTJD, I think your comments are fair. I mean, they asked you questions on a survey for a reason. If they wanted to pretend everything was rosey and gold, there likely wouldn't even be a survey. A survey, if answered honestly and correctly, helps them focus in on what exactly needs to be looked at in the coming years. Why should they spend their time and energy fixing stuff that isn't a problem, when there are actual problems else where.

To me, you didn't say anything overly harsh or even rude. Just the basic facts and things you'd hope more from your car.

Also... a car is designed and built to fit a large market segment (in this case, ~40,000 TLX buyers every year). It's hard to build something that will literally appeal to everyone. One guy can be like "I think the car needs more power" so Acura [hypothetically] goes and adds more HPs under the hood. Then another guy comes along and says "I wish the car was a bit more fuel efficient. Cut back some of the power!" As you see, you simply can't please everyone.

pyrodan007

I also agree your comments are fair. At the end of the day it's your money, so you can complain if something is not right. If just the right amount of people complain, a new option is born.

TacoBello

I wouldn't even call it complaining. They asked for his input. He gave them an honest reply.

wreak

I don't understand why they can't fix the 9spd ZF with a simple software upgrade. My 2012 TL had annoying shifting problems and they released a software upgrade a couple years ago that totally fixed the hesitation and made the car feel completely different (in a good way). Not sure why they can't figure out a permanent fix with the 9spd after putting in some R&D. You can fix gear hunting and bogging aka shifting too early with the software so I'm baffled, that is unless the problems are deeper than that.

TacoBello

Because dog clutches. They're inherently slow in their design. No programming logic can fix that 100%.

BEAR-AvHistory

Time for what is a dog clutch, why they are slow & why Acura used them?